Diurnal Activity Patterns of the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) in Two Algerian Sahara Wetlands: Case Study of Chott Oum Raneb (Ouargla) and Chott El-Goléa (Ghardaïa)

This study on the greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) was conducted from September 2021 to August 2022 in two wetland areas of the central Algerian Sahara: Chott Oum Raneb (Ouargla) and Chott El-Goléa (Ghardaia). The findings indicate that this species is present year-round, classifying it as sedentary. The population was more abundant in Chott Oum Raneb than in Chott El-Goléa. The highest recorded number of individuals, 7.325, was observed in Chott El-Goléa during the coldest month (December 2021), while the lowest count, 212 individuals, was recorded in the hottest month (August 2022) at the same site. These waterbirds predominantly occupy the central areas of both wetlands, where they forage, suggesting that tranquility plays a crucial role in their distribution. Observations totaling 115 hours at each site revealed that feeding is the dominant diurnal activity, accounting for approximately 73% of the time at Chott Oum Raneb and 74% at Chott El-Goléa.